The Frayed Ends of Sanity
by RegularShowFan1592
Summary: After going through hell and back, Mordecai isn't himself any longer. He is fighting for his life. Will he succeed, or will he be overtaken by the evil within him? What does this evil want with him? How will his friends and loved ones deal with it? This is the sequel to my first story, 'A Not-So-Regular Time'. Rated T for cursing, violence, and adult situations.
1. Until It Sleeps

**Author's Note: **Hello readers! I'm finally putting up my sequel to my very first story, **A Not-So-Regular Time**! I promise this will be much more fluid and detailed than the first one, as I've gotten a lot better at writing, in thanks to some awesome authors/readers: **GearSolidSnake**, **JessieLover**, **BlueScarlet465**, **ihopeyourlove18**, **GonkhNation**, and **LionLover23**, just to name a few! :) I also appreciate every single review I've received, even the critical ones pointing out flaws. **NOTE:** The knight's (Axe) dialogue will be in **bold. **So, without further ado, here is the sequel! Enjoy! :D

* * *

Nearly seventy-two hours had passed since he'd run off without a trace, into the dark streets. The park crew was understandably downtrodden, but forced to attempt to move on without the optimistic demeanor of one of their most valued employees. Some had moved on, while others were making rash, heated, desperate decisions, but none more so than the love of his life, Margaret.

"Well, yes- But I- Mom! I already told you!" she shouted into her cellphone. "No, I do think this is what I need to do!" she furrowed her brow, "Look, Mom, I've gotta go. Okay. Yes, I love you too. Al-alright. Bye..."

She sat down on the his bed, heaving a sigh of stress. She then heard a knock at the locked door which startled her. She stood up and went to turn the handle, cracking it open.

"Margaret? Why are you shouting?" asked her friend Eileen, who'd been at her side almost constantly these past three days.

Margaret smiled a little, "Oh, it's just you. Here, come on in. I need to talk to you, alone."

The mole stepped inside and sat down with her on the bed. "What's wrong?"

She sighed again. Hesitantly, she spoke, "Well, I need your opinion on something."

Eileen looked at her with a sincere smile, "Sure. What's up?"

"I-I'm thinking of dropping out of college."

Eileen's eyes widened, "What?! Why would you do that?"

"Isn't it obvious, Eileen? Because of him! Listen, I know my education is important, but I believe saving him is even more! I love him and he loves me, I know it in my heart. Also, I don't want him harming people. I saw what he did to Death. It was...I don't want to describe it..." she trailed off, not wanting to relive that moment.

Eileen raised her hands up, "Okay, okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But Margaret, I want you to know that I'll support you, no matter what choices you make." She put a hand on her knee, "That's what best friends are for, right?"

Margaret managed a grin, "Yeah, you're right. I-"

Benson poked his head in the room. "Hey girls, is everything okay in here? I thought I heard shouting?"

Margaret got up and strolled over to the gumball machine, clasping her hands together cheerfully in an attempt to hide her stress. "What? Oh, we're fine Benson. Just...having some girl time." she smiled.

"Alright, I'll be in my office if you need me." he said. He gave a friendly wave, walking away.

Eileen stood up as well. "Well, I'll talk to you later Margaret. I've got to head to the coffee shop. My shift starts in twenty minutes."

The robin stopped her friend and pulled her into a quick hug. "Thanks for listening, Eileen." she whispered.

She returned the hug, then stepped out the door. "No problem. You get some rest, okay? You look exhausted."

"Good idea..." she yawned. Margaret laid down on the bed and closed her eyes. In a few minutes, she was out cold.

* * *

Outside, Rigby was busy taking over the duties of his friend-gone-mad, and he wasn't exactly having the best time. He spotted Thomas and Muscle Man in the distance.

"Ugh! Thomas, I asked you to help me with the sand gardens, not eat it!" Muscle Man shouted.

The feeble goat just stood there and took the verbal beating, covered in sand. "Sorry, dude! It was my first time doing that crap!"

Rigby groaned. He wished his best pal was here, then he'd at least get a few laughs in at the antics of Thomas. He continued raking the leaves, tuning out Muscle Man's tirade and moving his thoughts to the good times: saving the park from Garret Bobby Ferguson, stepping up for Pops in that rap battle, getting Benson that mug, and countless other memories. He would think it would've helped, but it only made him angrier.

He suddenly threw the rake down in frustration.

_'Screw this. I need a break.'_

He tilted his head around to make sure no one spotted him, then quickly exited the park, heading to the coffee shop down the sidewalk.

* * *

Meanwhile, a certain avian was fighting for his sanity. He was having a full-on shouting match in his brain, switching off between his red, evil-eyed counterpart and his normal, white-eyed self. If that weren't enough, his actual, physical body was under complete control of the knight, inhabiting his armor and axe, sprinting to the outskirts of the city.

_'Stop! Please, for the love of God, stop running! Let me go back to her!'_

_**'You don't order me around. We need to hide, think about our next step.**'_

_'What the hell are you talking about?!'_

_**'It will all come to fruition at a later time... We- Ah, Yes! There is a suitable abode!**'_

The bird skidded to a stop. He turned to his right and went down an adjacent street, coming to an abandoned delicatessen labeled, "Porky's Meats" in green text. The sign was faded and worn, showing it had been a long time since anyone had visited here. He nearly ripped the rotten door off it hinges, dashing inside.

"Why-why did you bring me here?" he panted, finally able to catch his breath, lowering his red hood.

**_'Like I told you, we must keep ourselves hidden. They will come looking for us. SHE will come looking for us..._'**

"They won't let you do whatever it is you have planned, Axe!" he yelled. If anyone had seen this from the outside, he would appear undoubtedly insane, talking to himself.

_**'Hmm. I'm not too fond of the branding of 'Axe' anymore, my friend. It's too, oh, what's the word? Ah, 'cliché'!'**_

"Then what should I call you?" he asked.

A chuckle was heard in his head, _'**Why, that's incredibly simple...'Mordecai'**_

Mordecai responded with laughter of his own. "What?" He pointed to his chest, "_I'm_ Mordecai, _you're_ just insane. And stop saying 'we'! You and I are completely different and-"

Out of nowhere, the grip on Mordecai's black armor tightened around his neck, choking him. He slumped against the glass counter. The knight had moved his total control away from Mordecai's body, focusing on making the armor squeeze his throat. With our hero in control of his limbs, he weakly began grabbing for the edges of the armor, pulling with what little strength he had left.

_**'Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You don't seem to understand:**_

_**There is no 'going back' to her.**_

_**There is no fighting for what you believe is 'right' any longer.**_

_**There is no 'redemption' to save you from what you've done and will do.**_

_**There is only 'Us'.**_

_**There is only 'We'.**_

_**There is only...'Me'.**_

Mordecai could only keep trying to gasp for air. His vision was blurred, the blood being cut off from his head. He started to fade.

"Ple-please...wait..." he croaked.

_**'I can tell you are tired. That is good, you will need the rest. Go ahead and drift off into a peaceful, relaxing slumber.'**_

Mordecai was unable to save himself. He took his hands away from his armor, letting them fall to the floor. He gave in and willingly closed his eyes.

_**'That's it, yes... Just sleep now, little bird.**_

_**Sleep.'**_


	2. My Friend of Misery

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! I'm back with another entry! As you could tell with the first chapter, this will be a much darker, more emotional story. I'm still keeping you all in suspense, though. Don't worry, everything will be explained in later chapters, these first few are more of a set-up. I hope you enjoy this! :D

Rigby stepped into the shop, it's bell giving off an audible "ding". He trudged down the steps, but stopped at the bottom. He peered over at their usual table, a spot they used to have so many conversations: girls, music, Benson getting on them about work.

Eileen had heard the bell, and came out from behind the counter. She perked up a bit when she saw him.

"Hi, Rigby." she uttered, softly.

Rigby didn't even give her a passing glance. He essentially ignored her, drifting over to one of the stools by the table.

The mole felt awful. Her heart ached for him, having to lose his only true friend. She decided to try to comfort him, sitting down nearby.

"Rigby, I-"

He interrupted her by pushing himself away from the table then hopping off the stool. The raccoon was visibly irritated and went over to a booth instead. He laid down on the comfy leather seat, letting his mind wonder.

Eileen was taken aback by him trying to distance himself from her. She suddenly became upset, stomping over to him.

"Rigby, tell me what's wrong." she said. Her tone was one of annoyance now.

Rigby just turned to his side, "Go away, Eileen."

"What? You came here for a reason, right?" She reached out to place a hand on his back, "Please, I'm-"

He instantly turned back around, shooting up to face her. He appeared shaken, flustered. Tears were welling up in his eyes.

"Eileen, I-I don't know why I came here. I-I think I needed a break, from everything. I need-" He took a deep breath, "I need...you."

A few seconds of silence passed. They stared at each other, not saying a word. On a spur of the moment, Rigby stood up off the seat, moving to Eileen and pulling her into his arms.

"Eileen...what do I do? Mordecai-" He tried to hold it back. "He's gone..."

He tightened his grip around her body. Not out of anger, but because he had someone there for him...for once. A literal shoulder to cry on.

"I feel so useless!" he bawled, scaring Eileen for a second. Now, tears were staining his cheeks. They streamed down his face, like a floodgate had been opened.

Eileen hugged him back, just as tight as he did. They stayed like that, locked in each other's embrace, for a good thirty seconds. The whole time he cried. After letting him get it all out, Eileen pulled out of the hug, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Rigby, look at me." She removed one hand, pulling his chin up to hers. "How can you say that you mean nothing?"

"Because I do! It's obvious I can't do anything right! I don't even get why you like me!" he yelled. He wanted to leave, to run out of the shop. But she held onto him, showing she needed him just as much.

"Well, you're cute, funny, and you make me happy to be around. You're a great guy, Rigby." she replied, giving him a small peck on his cheek.

He sniffled, wiping his nose. "Thanks, Eileen. That-that means a lot."

She took some napkins out of the dispenser on the table, handing him a few. He blew into them.

"Do you feel better now?" she asked, patting his back.

He chuckled, "A little. But, I'd feel even greater if you could do something for me."

She gave him a confused look. "What do you mean? Do you want some food? Or coffee? Or-"

He put a finger to her lips, signaling her to stop.

He took a moment to compose himself. Gently, he grasped her hands. Rigby pulled Eileen closer, preparing for what he wanted to ask of her, his expression turning serious.

"Eileen, I like you...a lot. So please, give me an answer to this."

"What?"

"Will you let me move in with you?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Mordecai woke up from his long, much-needed sleep. He rubbed his eyes open, looking down to his body. He was surprised to feel his feathers there, instead of the cold, hard-as-steel black armor which would cover him from neck-to-toe. It had somehow been removed, along with his trusty axe nowhere to be found. Even more peculiar, he had awoken in an entirely different place...

He was in someone's home, in their bedroom.

He rubbed his head in pain, _'Huh? How did I end up-?' _He tried to get out of the bed, but couldn't move his legs.

_**'Ah, there you are. Did you sleep well?'**_

"Where am I? Why can't I move my feet?" he asked.

_**'I can't say. You are just...here.'**_

"I-I don't understand? I-" he stopped. The avian turned his the right, his jaw nearly falling to the sheets.

He was next to a woman. Someone he'd been longing to hold.

"Mar- Margaret?" he almost lost his voice, he was so elated to actually see _her_, the one bright spot in his life!

He attempted to pull her over to him, but his hands went right through the robin, as if he was only there in spirit.

"What? What?! Why the hell can't I hold her?!" he shouted.

He tried grabbing her again and again, but to no avail. The bird then noticed, to his horror, that she was crying. Not just little spouts of tears and sobs, but something that sounded like an animal with it's leg caught in a trap. Something that made you want to put an end to it's misery. It was literally heartbreaking.

"Margaret, don't cry. I'm here now. You're safe." he said, trying to console her.

She continued to cry, at the same strength as when he awoke. Margaret never turned to face him, instead she just laid there, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why are you crying? Did I do something to hurt you? I would never-"

_**'She can't hear** **you...'**_

The bird tried to ignore the knight and focus on the robin.

"I would never hurt you. I-I love you." he uttered, barely above a whisper.

_**'It is futile to keep trying...'**_

He grabbed his head with both hands, thrashing it back and forth.

_'DAMN IT, SHUT UP!'_ he screamed in his mind.

He waited a few seconds for a reply. Thankfully, Mordecai didn't receive one. He glanced back over to his girlfriend.

Mordecai halfheartedly tried to grasp her again, but no matter how many times he reached out, each one failed.

He suddenly shouted out loud, "PLEASE, LOOK AT ME! TURN OVER, SAY MY NAME, ANYTHING TO LET ME KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!" Now, he'd joined in: He was the one who was sobbing.

"Look at me...I'm begging you..." he cried.

_**The knight laughed, 'You really are pathetic!'**_

In between sobs, Mordecai choked out, "Why? Just tell me, why are you doing this?!"

_**'Is it not obvious to you? I need you to suffer. If one does not suffer, how would they ever hope to grow stronger, to overcome difficulties? This is just a taste of things to come, my friend.'**_

"But I- You're a monster! You don't have a heart!" he argued.

_**'You are correct, I do not. At least, not anymore. The only heart beating is yours.**_

_**If I'm not mistaken, you are stricken with amnesia, yes? Do not worry, I will fill your mind with new memories.**_

_**But first, we need to get you up onto your feet.**_

_**To do that, you must wake up.'**_

Mordecai was confused, "Wh-What?"

_**The knight put his voice to a whisper, 'Arise, little bird. Arise.'**_

* * *

Mordecai's eyes shot open. His vision was hazy, his head disoriented. The avian stood from where he was resting, but stumbled a bit. He put his hands on a table to catch himself from falling onto his face.

Still out of it, he spoke, "Where is she? What? I'm-I'm still in the deli?"

_**'Yes, we are.'**_

"But...that dream...it was so real, it felt like she..."

_**'...was actually there, next to you? Yes, I take pride in the fact I am able to make your visions feel so...authentic.'**_

Mordecai was appalled, "How- How can you be that hateful? Don't you care about someone's love?"

_**'Oh trust me Mordecai, I do. Or at least I did, as I was once blindly in love, like you. But sadly, she was stolen from me, along with other riches...**_**'**

Our hero was even more puzzled now, "What do you mean? What happened?"

_**'That is a tale for another time. Come now, pick up your weapon. We must leave.'**_

The bird picked his axe up off the dusty floor. He did as he was told, exiting the broken down shop.

"Now what?" he asked.

_**'We must pay a visit to an old colleague of mine.'**_

Mordecai started to walk, but abruptly stopped in his tracks. "No! I refuse to keep helping you! I'm not killing anyone else!"

_**'What about the Grim Reaper?! Did he not deserve it? He trapped her, tried to hurt her. Even worse, he lusted after her! But, you stopped her from being harmed, yes?'**_

"Yeah, I guess. But, Death- He-" He tried to defend his thinking, raising his arms in the air for effect. "He was different! He was evil and-and completely crazy!"

_**The knight sighed, 'Hmm. **__**I see that you will not comply. So be it...'**_

He assumed control of Mordecai's body again, the bird's eyes turning a bright shade of blood-red once more. He twirled the axe in his right hand, like a child's toy.

_**'Your weakened psyche still fails to comprehend our actions.**_

_**Death was only the beginning,**_

_**And it shall also be the end...' **_


	3. Fade To Black

**Author's Note: **Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter! I'm kind of jumping around with moods/situations this chapter, so I apologize if this seems confusing. Enjoy! :D **NOTE: **I feel the need to point something out. **"Axe"** (for now) is the name that the **Black Knight** has inside Mordecai's mind/armor/axe that Mordecai carries with him. I will reveal his real name later on, so sorry for any MORE confusion.

* * *

A new morning had dawned on Mallard Park. While it was still difficult without Mordecai around, everyone managed to get their jobs done while trying to be positive, and today didn't appear any different.

"Auuuuugh!" a certain red robin yawned, stretching her arms. She rose out of Mordecai's bed and walked over to the window, peering outside while rubbing her eyes open. She spotted Rigby out in the driveway, carrying some boxes to a car, with Eileen close by. Since staying at the park for the past few days, Margaret was becoming accustomed to the almost care-free demeanor the crew had. She was enjoying it immensely, especially compared to college. Most importantly, she had people who cared about her here.

It was nearly perfect.

Out of the corner of her eye, Margaret saw a single, lonely-looking tree, with almost all of it's leaves on the ground. It was getting close to fall, so Mother Nature began to show off her vibrant colors. Reds, yellows, and browns dotted the whole landscape. _'Hmm. Maybe I should go out and rake up those leaves? It'd be a nice thing to do for having the park look after me...'_ she smiled. The robin headed outside, grabbing a nearby rake that had been leaned against the stairs. Before starting her goodwill gesture though, she stopped by Rigby and Eileen.

"Hey guys!" she waved. "What are you doing with those boxes, Rigby?"

Rigby set the box in the back of the car, "Well, I'm moving in with Eileen. I didn't think you'd want a guy staying in the same room with you, and Eileen agreed to take me in. Plus, I get to show off my guns of steel!" he boasted, "flexing".

The girls simply rolled their eyes.

Ignoring Rigby's gun show, Eileen pulled Margaret off to the side. "So...how are you holding up?"

"Oh, I'm doing okay. I figured I'd rake up some leaves, clear my mind, ya know?"

The mole beamed, "That's great! I'm glad you're trying to take a breather from thinking about..." she coughed, "uh, you-know-who..."

Rigby had picked up another box, but stopped for a moment to face them, "Who, Mordecai?" Eileen swiftly walked back and punched him in the arm, which also caused the box he was holding to fall onto his foot. "OW!" he screamed, grabbing his foot and hopping around. Margaret giggled. It was the first time she'd laughed for a while and it felt good.

"Well, I'll see you guys later. Have a great day!" she smiled, walking off to her task.

* * *

A half-hour later, Margaret was done. She had just finished gently raking the leaves into a neat little pile.

"Ahhhh." she sighed. "This is so relaxing. It's peaceful, calm." she said to herself.

After finishing her chore, she strolled into the park house, whistling a cheerful tune. She was thirsty from the work, so a drink from the fridge was calling her name. Benson happened to be in the room as well, going through papers. He stopped reading when she entered.

"Oh, hello Margaret. You seem happy today." he smiled.

She looked over to him, "Yep, I love the fall. The leaves, the food, the beautiful colors, everything. It's just what I needed."

"Yeah..." He took off his reading glasses for a moment, folding his fingers together, "Listen, Margaret, I don't mean to rush you or anything, but how long are you planning on staying here?"

She pondered his question. "Hmm. Well, I thought I'd maybe...um, get a job here?" She put her hands to her hips, "I can pull my share of work, Benson."

Benson thought about this for a few seconds. With his top employee nowhere to be found, he'd need all the help he could get to make a profit, and this cheerful young birdie seemed right up his alley. "Well, if you think you could handle working here, I'd be more than happy to have you help out!" he answered.

She grinned. "Really? Thanks, Benson! I love being here, it's nowhere near as stressful as college, or even the coffee shop. Plus, I can stay in Mordecai's room."

Benson frowned, "I don't think you'd want to room with Rigby..."

"Oh no, didn't he tell you? He said he was going to ask Eileen if he could move in with her?"

Benson's eyes widened, "Huh. Didn't think he'd be that...mature." He shook off the thought of that raccoon actually being responsible, "Well, if that's true, you can move in with us." The machine stood up and went to shake her hand.

"Welcome to the crew, Margaret." he smiled.

* * *

Outside, Thomas and Muscle Man were doing Rigby's chores, as the raccoon was busy packing up his stuff for Eileen's apartment.

"Hey, Thomas? You know who else mows the lawn? MY MOM!" Mitch laughed.

Thomas groaned, "Dude, don't you know how annoying those are by now?"

"Hey! Those jokes are hilarious, bro!" he argued.

"No. No, they aren't, Muscle Man..."

"Shut it, Thomas! Just keep pushing the mower, or I'll-"

The goat suddenly stopped his task, turning to face Muscle Man head-on. He'd nearly reached his boiling point with Mitch and got up in the green man's face, "You'll what? Huh?! I'm getting really tired of your shit, man!"

Muscle Man raised his fist back, "Oh, you're asking for it now, bro!"

Skips was nearby, lifting some bags of mulch, when he heard the argument. He skipped over to the boys, who looked like they were ready to come to blows. He quickly pushed them apart, causing Muscle Man's fist to hit only air. "Hey, stop! What's going on here?!" he yelled.

"Thomas is being a jerk! He doesn't think my jokes are funny!"

Skips frowned, "That's what this is about?"

"Well, yeah! How can you not laugh at my classics?!"

"Because they're annoying as hell, dude! Also, this isn't just about the jokes; you haven't helped me at all since Mordecai ran off, or-or even before that!"

"Hey, you're only an intern, bro! You need the experience! Besides-"

"Enough!" the yeti interrupted, "Why don't you do _your_ job, Muscle Man? I think Thomas here deserves a break."

The green man was seething with anger, but gave in, mumbling to himself as he walked off with the push-mower, "Ugh! No one around here has a sense of humor!"

* * *

Skips faced the goat, "Thomas, follow me. We need to talk..." The yeti led Thomas over to his house, shutting the door behind them, "Go ahead, have a seat."

The goat nervously sat down on Skips' bed, "What's this about, Skips?"

Skips sat down beside him, "Well, it's about you. I've never seen you act that way. Why were you so angry?"

"I-I don't want to talk about it..." he replied.

"Hmm. I can tell it's something more personal than Muscle Man, am I right?"

The goat looked up at Skips, wide-eyed, "Geez, you really have a good sense of reading people, huh?"

Skips chuckled, "It comes with experience. So, what's really bothering you, Thomas?"

"Um, well, it-it's about, um, my father..." he whispered.

"Oh? What about him? Is he alright?"

Thomas paused for a moment, taking a breath, "He's, um, he's not here anymore..."

Skips was shocked, "OH! I'm so sorry...I didn't know..."

"It's cool, Skips. A few years ago, this week is when he passed away, and it's always stressful for me, ya know? Then you add on the whole 'Mordecai-gone-insane' thing, and-"

Skips put a hand on the young man, "I understand, Thomas. You don't need to go into details. Muscle Man obviously didn't know what you were going through."

Thomas' fists began shaking, "Yeah, but Mitch doesn't help the situation, at all! He comes up with all those stupid jokes, and-and he bullies me into doing the work, then when I asked for help he told me to be quiet and keep working! Thank God you came over, I was gonna clock him!"

Skips put his hands on the boy's shoulders, "Thomas, take a deep breath. Just relax, it's in the past, it's over."

The goat started to calm down, "Okay, okay. Sorry, I just reached a breaking point, but I also don't wanna talk to Muscle Man for a while now. What should I do?"

Skips put his hand to his chin in thought, "Well, maybe you should try to become friendly with some other employees?"

Thomas was puzzled, "Huh? But I'm already friends with the others?"

Skips smiled, "Yeah, I suppose you are. But, I mean establishing a bond. You and I seem to have done that, simply with this talk." Skips stood up and moved to the front window, with Thomas joining him, "For example, look out there at Rigby: He's lost his best friend. I'm not saying you should take Mordecai's place, but you should be there for him. Eileen's a great girlfriend, but you've gotta be his pal to share some laughs with. Do you understand what I'm getting at, Thomas?"

Thomas agreed, "Yeah, I get ya..." He looked back over to Skips, then on a spur of the moment, pulled him into a quick hug, "Thanks for talking with me, Skips. It helped a lot."

Skips was surprised at his sudden gesture, but gladly returned the embrace, "No problem, Thomas. If you ever need anything, come and see me, okay?"

The goat pulled away from the yeti, grinning, "You bet!" He moved over to the door, "But, I gotta go see Benson, he-"

Out of nowhere, a sudden clap of thunder was heard in the distance. The boy poked his head outside, "Hey Skips, it looks like it's gonna rain."

Skips peered out of his back window. He saw the black clouds forming a few miles away, "Yep. That's unfortunate too..."

"Why? Wouldn't the rain help the plants and stuff?" the goat asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess so. Anyways, I'll talk to you later, Thomas. I, um, have some work to do."

"Oh, okay. See ya later!" he waved.

Skips stared out the window again. He couldn't shake an uneasy feeling coming over him.

_'This doesn't look good...'_

* * *

Later that night, the storm had moved in with full force. The sky over the park was pitch black, with only flashes of lightning brightening the stark atmosphere. Skips was lying in his bed, attempting to sleep. He thrashed and turned throughout the night, unable to close his eyes. He heard a banging noise on the other side of the room.

"What the heck is that noise?!" Skips groaned. He sat up, looking to the source. It was the back window, which was apparently stuck. He rose out of bed, trying to find the light switch. He flipped it, "Ugh! No power?" He paused for a second, "Oh yeah, I was supposed to fix the circuit breaker today. Damn it..." He sighed and went up to the window, but thought he saw something speed by in the lightning. He was too tired to check it out, so he closed the windowsill and started to head back to bed.

As if out of thin air, a shadowy figure instantly appeared in front of him, twirling some sort of weapon.

_**"Good evening, Walks. It's such a beautiful night tonight...**_**'**

The yeti tried to peer into the darkness, "What the hell?! Who are you? How did you get in here?!"

_**"Why, that strikes me right in the heart, Walks! After all our adventures together, you don't remember me?"**_

Skips looked closer: those eyes, the black armor, that chilling voice...

"Mordecai? Is that you?"

No response. The figure just stood there, the blood-red eyes staring him down, as if into his very soul. Skips then thought of that voice. Where had he heard it before? Unless...

The yeti's eyes grew into saucers, "No. It-it can't be..."

_**Mordecai smirked, "You look as if you've seen a ghost..." He stepped towards the yeti, "Well, I regret to inform you, but I'm very much ALIVE!"**_

With that shout, Mordecai charged at Skips, his axe raised high. Skips barely avoided the attack and tried to punch Mordecai, but he hit Skips with the butt of the axe in his chest, knocking the yeti back into the wall. Skips regained his footing and charged at Mordecai, wrapping his arms around his waist while somehow knocking him to the ground. The two rolled along the floor, trying to gain an upper-hand. Skips eventually did, bashing Mordecai in the face a few times. He then stood up, backing away from the deranged avian.

_**Mordecai wiped away some blood, "Hmm, I see you can still fight admirably. That's good...I like a challenge."**_

With no weapon to fight, Skips had to think to win. He needed to try to get to some of his potions that he had stored underneath the house in case of emergencies. He quickly skipped over to the cord to open the staircase to the hidden basement, but Mordecai once again blocked his path, standing directly over the basement.

_**"Where are you going, Walks? I thought we-"**_

Skips reached down and yanked the cord, unexpectedly lifting the bird off his feet. He shut the door above him, then dashed down the steps, frantically looking for a potion, _'Come on, come on! Damn it, where is it?!'_

**_Mordecai got back up, brushing himself off, "Well, it also appears you can still be a coward when facing someone better. No matter. I will find you..."_**

With no lights, Mordecai couldn't see very well. The avian began dragging his axe along the floor, attempting to find any uneven grooves in the paneling. The only thing Skips could hear was the scraping of the metal blade against the wood directly above him. The yeti wiped sweat from his brow as he was fumbling through the many elixirs he had placed on the shelves below, throwing most to the side.

For the first time in a long time, Skips was actually scared.

_**BASH! BASH! BASH!**_

Mordecai had found the basement door. He slammed the axe into the wood over and over, effortlessly breaking the cover.

_**"Come out, Walks! Stop hiding and face me!"**_

Skips came to the bottom of the stairs, "My name isn't Walks anymore, it's Skips!"

_**Mordecai laughed a bit, "'Skips'? What kind of an imbecile calls themselves-"**_

He suddenly threw some potions at Mordecai like a pitcher, with some hitting his face.

_**He backed away in pain, holding his face with one hand, "AUGH!" He began spinning his axe around, hitting the walls, while blinded for a moment. When he came to, he was angry, to say the least. He sprinted down to the yeti, gripping him by the throat and tossing him back up the stairs to the main floor, almost like a rag doll. Skips was knocked out cold just from the pure amount of force from Mordecai's throw. The bird slowly stepped back up the basement stairs to him, "Your end has sadly come, my dear friend. **__**It is time to die..."**_

With all the thunder and lightning going on outside, it'd be a miracle if anyone heard anything. Ironically, Thomas, of all people, had been sent out to Skips' garage to see if he could fix the park's power problem.

He knocked, "Hey, Skips! You awake? Benson told me we need to fix the power as we have a lot of stuff to do tomorrow!" He didn't get a reply, so he yelled louder, "SKIPS?! Hello?!"

_**Mordecai heard this, "Hmm? Someone must be out there?" He walked over to the door, smiling, "Well, it would be rude of me to not let them in with such a storm going on..."**_

When he opened the door, Thomas screamed. Mordecai put his hand to his mouth, shutting the goat up. He dragged him inside, ordering Thomas to stand in the corner and watch Skips' execution.

If he tried anything, he would die as well.

* * *

Inside the park house, the only people there were Margaret and Benson, who were both wide awake as Benson waited on Thomas' return.

Margaret yawned, "Um, can I go to sleep yet? We can always fix it in the morning, Benson."

Benson was staring out the window, "No, we can't. It needs to be turned on soon as we have some jobs early in the morning that will use a lot of power, and Mr. Mallard will be pissed at me if I fall anymore behind than I already have with Mordecai leaving. Don't worry, once Thomas gets back from seeing Skips, we can go to sleep."

They waited a few more minutes, but heard and saw nothing, "Hmm. I'm getting worried." Benson put on his jacket, "I'm gonna go check if they're okay. You wanna join me, Margaret?"

She sighed, "Yeah, sure. I've got nothing better to do..."

They ran over to the garage-house. Benson stopped in front of the door, which he saw was ajar. They opened it quickly and were stunned at the sight.

Margaret stood there in disbelief. Mordecai had his axe raised over Skips' body, while Thomas was frozen in fear in the corner of the room. She could barely speak, "M-M-Mordecai?"

_'What? That voice...'_

Mordecai came to his senses for a moment, lowering his axe. He turned his head and stared at his girlfriend, "Margaret? Is it really you?"

_**His eyes turned red again, "NO! WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO SEE HER YET!"**_

Mordecai tried to fight back over the knight's control, "NO! I- Margaret, please! I'm sorry!"

_**"WE MUST GO, NOW! THIS IS TOO SOON!"**_

Mordecai was thrashing around the room, unknowingly backing up into the window he'd snuck in through. He crashed through it, with glass scattered all over the grass outside. The bird stumbled off into the night, leaving everyone in shock once more.

Benson and Thomas ran over to Skips to make sure he was okay. Margaret still stood there, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

The guys took Skips into the park house, setting him down on the couch. The rain outside had woken him up. He rubbed his head in pain.

Benson spoke, "Skips? What happened? Was that Mordecai in there?"

Skips shook his head, "No. At least, not anymore."

"Then who?" Thomas asked.

He frowned, "Damien has returned."

Margaret became angry, "What are you talking about, Skips? I heard Mordecai speak! How do you know that isn't him?"

Skips sighed, "It's a long story..."


	4. Holier Than Thou

**Author's Note: **Hey readers! I'm back with chapter 4! Enjoy! :D **NOTE: **The **Black Knight's (Damien's)** dialogue will be in normal text. A certain character "reappears" here, and their dialogue will be in **bold.**

Oh and thank you for all the follows/favs/reviews! :)

* * *

**Somewhere in Eastern Europe, Late 1400's...**

"Damien! I need your assistance!"

_**ROAR!**_

The towering dragon growled at the yeti it had pinned to the ground with only a single claw. Skips couldn't move his body and his sword had been knocked out of his hands to the side. He looked back at the only person who was nearby to help.

"DAMIEN! NOW!"

The Black Knight simply yawned, but complied. He drew his sword and went into a running stance. Then, in a grand flourish, leaped at the dragon, effortlessly cutting it's arm away to free Skips.

Damien smiled underneath his helmet, "There, you are free." He went over to Skips' sword, and threw it to him, "Now, help me slay this monstrosity!"

The duo charged at the wounded dragon, slicing it in two without any trouble. A greenish blood covered their armors.

"Ugh! The ending is always the most repulsive!" Damien groaned, wiping away the blood.

"Yes, I agree. Thank you for the help, my friend." Skips replied, doing the same.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all, Walks. Time and time again, I'm always there to save you."

Skips laughed, "Oh no, I'm afraid you have that backwards! It is_ I_ who has to save _you_!"

Almost out of their earshot, a horn was heard bellowing in the distance.

"Huh? Oh, the King must need us at the castle, Damien. Let's go back..."

Skips got onto his white horse, his silver armor gleaming in the sunlight. In a quite literally dark contrast, Damien rode atop his brown horse, with his pitch black armor allowing almost no light to shine off it. The two comrades went past the town gates and into the streets, with yet another crowd to cheer them and chant their names. They strode into the King's huge chamber, with him seated in his throne. In his hands were a golden goblet of wine, and a greasy chicken leg. He was a portly fellow, with a long orange beard.

The King spoke, "Ah, you have arrived!" He chomped on his food, "With the sounding of the horn, I take it another devilish beast was slain?"

Damien approached him and knelt, "Why yes, your majesty! I-"

The King interrupted, "Ah, I wasn't speaking to you, Damien! Now, Walks?"

"Yes, sire?"

"I should offer you another celebratory feast for your bravery, I assume?"

Skips knelt by Damien, "It would be an honor."

Damien stood up, "But, my King, he-"

"Not another word, boy! This man has saved your life countless times! You should be humbled even to be chosen to serve alongside him! In fact, he most likely saved you out there!" the King yelled.

Skips felt bad for Damien, but he also didn't want to argue with the King.

Damien, on the other hand...

"THAT'S AN OUTRIGHT LIE! I SAVED HIM!" he yelled back, getting closer to the King.

The King had enough, "GUARDS, REMOVE THIS MAN FROM MY CASTLE!"

Skips stood, "Wait, sire! At least let him attend the feast! I only ask out of him being my friend!"

The King put down his wine and stroked his beard in thought, "Hmm...I suppose that isn't too out of the question." He grinned, "I shall allow it!"

Skips knelt once more, "Thank you, your majesty!"

* * *

An hour later, the dinner was underway. Everyone was having a good time. There was dancing, games, and even a bard playing a song or two. Skips was seated at the head of the long wooden table with the King and other important people. Damien had to sit farther away down the side of the table, but could easily see and hear the King and Skips.

"...and then, I pulled Damien from the troll's jaws, slicing it's head clean off! Of course, he needed a wash afterwards!"

The King and others laughed, "Why, what a riveting tale that was! You never fail to entertain me, Walks!"

"Thank you, sire."

Suddenly, a young woman appeared to the side of them, "Hello, father."

The King turned around, "Oh, Lydia! Say, Walks, have you met my daughter?"

Skips smiled, "No, I haven't had the pleasure."

The blond-haired woman smiled at the yeti, "Hello, Walks. That's quite a peculiar name..."

Skips chuckled, "Yes, well, why don't I tell you all about how that came to be...?"

Everyone came closer, listening intently to his story. Everyone except our Black Knight, of course. He'd stormed off, out of the room, seething with jealousy and anger in the hallway. He slammed his fist into the wall, but no one heard it. _'Damn him! Why does he have to get all the gold, the glory, the fame! But, most importantly...'_ he paused, looking back into the room. Skips was still telling his tale, with Lydia draped over his broad shoulders, almost flirting with him.

_'...her, my beloved Lydia.'_ he narrowed his eyes, _'I shall have you...and nothing, not even Walks, will keep you from me...'_

He walked at a brisk pace to his own bedroom. He found his trusty bow and steel-tipped arrows laying against the wall by his bed. Putting them around his armor, he walked back down the hall, but bumped into a man.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Damien."

Damien smiled, "It's perfectly alright, good sir."

The man glanced at his bow, "With that bow, I presume you're going to hunt some game?"

The knight continued walking past him, a smirk across his lips, "You could say that..."

Coming back to the main doorway, he looked around for anyone close by, but appeared to be in the clear. Silently, he drew the arrow back, pointing it directly at the yeti's skull.

A voice entered his head.

_**'Damien, what are you doing?'**_

_'Be gone! I must kill him!_'

_**'Yes, but not through these cowardly methods. We need to strike at a later time, make it personal.'**_

The bow shook in his grip,_ 'But, he- Lydia-'_

_**'You must heed my words, Damien. You know by now that I am always correct.'**_

He sighed, lowering the arrow, _'Yes, you are. I am sorry.'_

**_'There is no need for apologies. Now, go back in and enjoy the feast. You will need your strength...'_**

* * *

**A few days later...**

Skips awoke to the sound of many metal footsteps running down the hallway outside. He rose from his bed, poking his head out the door.

"Come now, men! Keep it moving!" someone yelled.

Skips put his hand on a knight's chest to stop him, "Boy, stop! What on Earth is happening?"

"A beast has been spotted attacking the nearby village, Sir Walks!" he panted.

"What kind of beast?"

The knight shrugged, "We-we don't know, sire. The group of knights who arrived from the village...were too traumatized to speak."

Skips' eyes bulged. He could tell this was serious, but quickly became confident, "I shall lead the men. Has Damien awoken yet?"

"I don't know that either, sire. He wasn't in his bedchamber when we were called-to-arms..."

Without another word, Skips went back into his bedroom, donning his armor and sheathing his trusty sword into it's holster.

The knight spoke, "Follow me sire, we must get to the village quickly!"

* * *

The group of four arrived to the partially destroyed town, a few miles away from the kingdom. The place was in shambles. Villagers were still running away from the destruction and fires were spread out over the hay rooftops and wooden buildings.

A woman screamed in the distance.

Skips looked to his left, "Over there! That woman is in need of us!" He rode to the source of the scream, a grassy field, but found nothing, _'Where is she?_' he thought. The other knights looked around, but also saw no trace of the woman.

"Sir Walks, we cannot find the lady. Also, the beast appears to have run off? This is very troublesome."

Another knight spoke, "Seems like a damn trick, if you ask me!"

Skips narrowed his eyes at his subordinate, "We didn't ask." The man gulped.

"Let's head back, maybe-"

"HELP! HELP ME, PLEASE!"

"Where did that come from?!" a knight asked.

Skips looked into the trees, "The forest! She's in there! Let's go!"

"I-I can't, uh, sire! I, um, have to-"

A knight slapped the other knight in the back of his helmet, "You _have_ to get a spine, boy! Now follow us in, or I'll inform the King of disobeying your commander."

Skips got off of his horse, "We won't need our horses, but you should tie them to those trees so they won't escape. Then, we must take a hidden path I know of."

They did as they were told, following Skips in the forest. The three knights headed down the trail, nervously moving behind Skips.

* * *

After a few minutes of silence, one spoke up, "Sire, are you sure you can find this woman?"

Skips was becoming annoyed at who he was stuck with, "Yes. Just trust me, we'll save her from the beast."

"Speaking of the beast, I'd heard another village was demolished not even one month ago by a monstrous troll!"

The knights began shaking in their boots, "You don't think it could-"

_**THWICK!**_

An arrow struck the knight directly in his head, killing him instantly. Everyone stopped in their tracks.

"Anthony? Anthony?!" his friend knelt over the man's body and cried, "How could he of been killed?! He's wearing-"

_**THWICK!**_

Another fell, with this arrow stabbing into his back, piercing through the steel-plated armor.

The final knight muttered, "Dear God!" He stood straight up, "I'm leaving sire, whether you need me or not!"

Skips yelled to him, "You're a coward, man!"

He stopped and turned back, shouting, "I'D RATHER BE AN ALIVE COWARD THAN A DEAD-"

**_THWICK!_**

The man clutched his throat, blood gushing out onto the dirt. He gasped for air, but choked on his fluids, dying a quick, yet painful, death as the arrow had apparently hit a major artery.

Skips was shocked. Some unknown assassin had taken out his comrades. Terrible help, but comrades nonetheless. He went over to the one of the bodies, pulling the arrow out to examine it. A purplish glow hummed off of the blood-soaked tip.

_'Where have I seen that magic before? It was powerful enough to rip through their armor!'_

A rustling was heard nearby. Skips pulled out his sword, ready for whatever beast leaped out.

Fortunately for him, it was just Damien.

"Oh, Walks! Thank God Almighty, I've found you!" he panted, catching his breath.

"Damien?! What are you doing out here? Did you see the-"

The Black Knight interrupted him, "No time for questions, my friend! We must get Lydia!"

"What? Someone kidnapped the King's daughter?"

"Yes! Now come on!" He started running, with Skips trying to keep up, "She's just over this hill, move quickly!"

They came to the top of the small hill, which lead into a small circular clearing of the forest. Skips stopped for a moment, "Wait, how did you know she-"

Not surprisingly, there was no princess to save. The only thing to greet him was cold steel pressed over the yeti's throat by the Black Knight.

"Move down the hill, into the center of the clearing." Damien ordered.

"Damien, what are you doing this for?! I thought we were friends!"

His voice became sinister, "We were never friends. You get all the praise, Walks, while I'm caught underneath your shadow. I deserve the gold, the recognition, the glory of our King, but most importantly, I need Lydia over all of that. Now, kneel before me..."

"Wh-what?"

"I ordered you to kneel!" he shouted, bashing Skips in the back with the handle of his blade.

"I'll never bow to you." Skips spat back, trying to pick himself back up.

Damien laughed, "Well, I guess you won't be a part of my new regime." He raised the sword, "Goodbye, Walks. I'm sorry it had to end like this..."

* * *

**_THWICK!_**

An arrow struck the sword from Damien's hands, sending it flying a few feet away.

"What?! Who could've-"

_**THWICK!**_

This time, the arrow went into the knight's chest, hitting with enough force to pin him to a nearby tree. He attempted to pull himself from the tree, but two more arrows met their mark: his hands. For some strange reason, he wasn't fatally wounded...

Out of nowhere, a figure came out of the forest, atop a horse. The horse was unlike any Skips had ever seen. It was as black as the midnight sky, with glowing yellow eyes. When it breathed, it snorted out small plumes of flames from it's nostrils, which meant it could likely breath fire, similar to a dragon.

But that was nothing compared to the person who rode this beast.

The figure was wearing a pitch black cloak, and had in his hands a mystical-looking bow with the same purple arrows the yeti saw earlier. He stepped off the horse, placing the bow and arrows on the horse's saddle. He then pulled out, from the side holster of the saddle, a long, razor-sharp scythe, it's blade gleaming in the sun. As he went over to the pinned knight, with each step he left behind a literal trail of destruction: The grass, which was once green and lush, withered away. The flowers, once full of life, quickly died as he passed.

This man was a walking hell on Earth.

An inflictor of suffering, pain, and outright annihilation.

It could only be Death himself.

**_"__Damien, you have gone against me for the final time."_**

"What?! I have done as you asked! I waited for the opportune moment!"

_**"No. You disobeyed me. I'm sorry, but with this being your last mistake, you must face the consequences."**_

_**He came closer, putting a bony hand along the knight's helmet and yanked it off, tossing it to the side. When he gripped it, the helmet instantly turned to rust, laying on the ground below.**_

"You-you're going to kill me now?!"

_**Death stared into Damien's eyes, but the only thing Damien saw was pure emptiness, as if there was only a voice. **__**But he knew what lay underneath that cloak.**_

_**"That would be too merciful, wouldn't it? No, you need to be shown, firsthand, what comes to those who do not heed my words. I will have you suffer, in indescribable pain and near endless torture, for as long as I deem acceptable. Perhaps when my grandson would take up the family blade, ending your pitiful existence with one swift slice? How does that sound?"**_

Damien couldn't speak.

Skips stood up, his voice now a whisper at the intimidating sight of Death, "What-what about me?"

_**Death turned slowly, gazing at the yeti, "Ah, Walks! 'What about you', indeed? You are a formidable adversary, I shall give you that. So, in a showing of my respect, I feel that you should leave this forest, and never speak of this to anyone. Are we understood?"**_

"Y-yes, Death! Loud and clear!" he stuttered, running off.

_**Death shouted, "Good! I'll be watching you, Walks!" He faced Damien again, "And as for you..." He sliced open a portal to the side of them, it's green hue giving off a grim invitation. Two red demons appeared out of it. "Take him." he ordered, pointing to the knight. The demons ripped Damien from the tree, but he tried to put up a fight.**_

"No, please! You can't do this!" he cried. He fell to the ground, and was dragged through the portal, with his hands clawing into the dirt in a feeble attempt to escape.

_**"Don't worry, my dear brother. I'll take care of you. After all, what else is family good for?" he laughed maniacally.**_

With that, the portal vanished, leaving only the horse and Death.

* * *

Back in the present time, everyone in the room listening were stunned.

"Whoa. So you met Death all the way back then?" Thomas asked.

Skips shook his head, "No. That was his grandfather. The Death you guys knew was like an angel compared to him."

Margaret looked at him intensely, "Is there anymore to the story, Skips? Do you know anything else?"

"No. I had no idea what happened to Damien after I ran away. Well, until he took over Mordecai and showed up here..."

Benson rubbed his chin, "Hmm. That was quite a story, Skips." He yawned and looked over at the clock, "Damn it! It's 2:00 in the morning! Mr. Mallard's gonna kill me!" He sighed, "Well, we'd better get some sleep. Skips, go fix that circuit breaker, then you can sleep in. I think you deserve that, at least."

Skips sighed, "Alright..." He muttered sarcastically, "Glad I could entertain you all with that."

Margaret put a hand on his shoulder and smiled, "Skips, it's fine. You should feel better for getting that out. Maybe it'll help us with getting Mordecai back to normal."

He smiled back, "Thanks, Margaret."

The yeti left the house, shutting the door.

Margaret yawned, "Hey, Benson?"

"Yeah?"

"Should I tell Rigby and Eileen about this stuff?"

"I wouldn't yet. I would worry about how this news would make Rigby feel. He's known to fly off the handle sometimes..."

"Oh, yeah...I'll think it over. But for now, I'm gonna try and sleep. Goodnight, guys!"

The robin went up to the duo's former bedroom, running the story through her head over and over while staring up at the ceiling. More heart-wrenching was trying to take in the sight of Mordecai like that, about to kill someone close to him.

Eventually, she brushed away the negative thoughts and fell asleep.


	5. Author's Note

**Hey everyone. I want/need to get back to writing, but I have major writer's block for this story right now. D:**

**To keep this short, I'm extremely stuck on where to go with this story. I have this problem with these full-length stories it seems: I'm afraid to unfortunately admit that I wasn't thinking the whole story through, like with certain events and the actual motives behind Damien's (Black Knight's) actions with controlling Mordecai. I mean, yeah, he's pissed off and out for revenge against Skips and stuff, but that doesn't seem like enough for a plot obviously...**

**I've had some spur-of-the-moment ideas going around in my head for the next chapter, but I'm still not sure what to do. :\**

**I've got an ending kinda, but I'll probably need help on that too. Thank God you guys are so helpful and nice on here! :D**

**If any of you guys have ideas, please PM me as I don't want it to show up in a review, but if you have to, I guess it can be a review as that'd get my numbers up! XD**

**If I like it, then I'll gladly use it and give you credit for it and a shoutout in Chapter 5. :)**

**On a good note, I am glad that I have a few back-up stories to work on and come back to this later... ("Around Every Corner" with my friend GearSolidSnake, which a lot of you guys seem to love and we really appreciate that! And "I'm On Cloud Nine", which I like working on as it's a simple, fun, cute story. :P)**

**Sorry guys. :\ Thanks in advance for your help, and for reviewing/following/faving my work. :)**


	6. The Memory Remains

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I have decided to keep going, in thanks to some awesome ideas from **Player2PressStart**, **AnimeGirl9894**, and **BlueScarlet465**! Thanks so much for that quick help and response! :D Oh and I'm still switching between moods/situations, so I apologize if this seems confusing still. :S I also apologize if this ending isn't as good as it could be, as I was stuck on it for a while. :\ Anyways, let's get into the chapter...

* * *

Mordecai ran. He couldn't do anything else. The force inside him had nearly driven him to ending a friend's life, something he could barely comprehend. He pushed himself to keep going, trying to get as far away from the park as possible, but eventually he had to stop at a street corner to gather himself. He felt his cheek where Skips had punched him multiple times: it was slightly swollen. In his mouth, he could taste blood. His eyes stung from the potion that had hit him point-blank in the face.

He peered to his left, spotting a nearby store. He walked up to the window to assess the damage, removing his red hood. Within the mirror, something startling happened.

_**"Are you hurt?" Damien asked, his red eyes glowing in the glass.**_

He began to talk to the reflection, "No, I'm fine..."

_**"You don't look like it. Why don't we-"**_

The bird shot "himself" a stern look, "Shut it. I don't need to listen to you, not after what just happened."

**_"Ah, but you do. You don't remember Walks, or should I say, Skips, do you?"_**

Mordecai tried to think, but was too exhausted to form a coherent thought. He simply replied, "No."

_**"Well, let me tell you about our...checkered past."**_

About twenty minutes later, Damien was finished with his version of Skips' story. Mordecai was shocked, to say the least.

"So, let me get this straight: Your name is Damien, Skips sold you out to escape Death's grandfather, and he wanted this girl you both liked named Lydia for himself? He sounds like he betrayed you."

**_Damien calmly answered, "Yes, he did."_**

"Then, on top of that, you were tortured for hundreds of years in Death's realm? But...why did I find you on the way to fight Death? Shouldn't you of been, ya know, dead?"

_**Damien spat, "After a while, Death's father decided I apparently wasn't worth his time or resources, so I was discarded there, left to rot..." he chuckled, "I guess fate was on my side for you to find me, Mordecai."**_

"Well, I gotta admit, if I hadn't of found you, I probably couldn't of saved Margaret." he reluctantly agreed.

**_Damien smiled, "See? We're not so different, you and I." He lowered his voice, "Well, except for a few...loose ends and...certain ambitions..."_**

"Huh? What'd you say?"

**_"Oh, nothing you need to be concerned about. Now, we need to keep moving, wouldn't you agree?"_**

Mordecai looked up and down the deserted street, "Good idea..."

* * *

The next morning, Skips had woken up, a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach as he obviously didn't sleep well. He looked out the window to see the sun, which was shining through the barren trees with no gray clouds in the sky, giving him a small glimmer of hope. He walked out to the park steps, joining everyone else.

Benson spoke, "Nice of you to join us, Skips. Did that extra hour of sleep help?"

Skips was looking off into the distance, but glanced back to his employer, "Huh? Oh sure, it helped, Benson. Thanks."

Benson focused back down to his clipboard, "Glad to hear that. Now, we've got a lot to do today. Muscle Man and Fives, you need to push the leaves out of the gutters. Margaret, I need you go pick up some coffee and donuts at the coffee shop. Skips, I'm gonna give you something easy for now; I need you to work on the cart, as there's something wrong with one of the back tires. Finally...hmm...Thomas, I'm gonna pair you with Rigby today, as otherwise he'd be working alone, and I guess you're better than no one. You two will be cleaning out the fountain. So, do we all understand our tasks?"

Everyone nodded.

Benson grinned, walking past them up the stairs, "Good. Get going, people. I'll be inside my office if you need me."

After Margaret and Skips left, Muscle Man laughed, raising his hand, "Hey Fives? I bet we can get done faster than these two slackers!" Even though High Five Ghost didn't really like how Mitch was treating Thomas and Rigby right now, he gave in, giving Mitch a high-five in return.

Thomas ignored them, "Come on Rigby, let's get going. These guys aren't worth our time..."

The goat and raccoon walked over and picked up the hose, but Rigby was struggling to lug his part over to the fountain.

Thomas grabbed the rest of it from him, "Here Rigby, I'll take it for ya."

A few minutes passed, with complete silence between them. Rigby stared into the water for a while, thinking. He glanced up to Thomas and awkwardly spoke, "So...Skips was acting kinda funny this morning. Do you know why?"

Thomas quickly replied, "Huh? Oh, yeah...maybe he's tired, I dunno..."

The raccoon may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he felt something was up, "Are ya sure? 'Cause if it has anything to do with Mordecai, I-"

The boy cut him off, "Trust me, Rigby, everything's fine. Mordecai has nothing to do with it, I swear."

Rigby sighed, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry, Thomas, it's just in the back of my head, like, a lot. I'm-I'm glad you guys and Eileen are here for me. I mean, without you guys I'd-"

Thomas put a hand on Rigby's shoulder, "I get it, dude, it's cool..." he paused, wanting to change the subject, "Hey, when we're done, you wanna play some games or something?"

Rigby smiled a bit, "Yeah, that'd be nice, man."

* * *

Over at the shop, Margaret came in, giving off the ring she was so used to hearing from the inside.

Eileen looked up from cleaning a table, happy to see her friend, "Hi, Margaret!"

Margaret waved, "Hey, Eileen. Can I get coffee and donuts for everyone in the park, please?"

"Sure! I'll have that out in a few minutes." she smiled.

While Margaret was waiting for the food, she leaned against the counter. It felt weird to not be working here. She looked over at the table where Mordecai and Rigby usually sat, thinking back to all the conversations her and Mordecai had, sitting across from each other. She chuckled at how nervous he used to be, grinning to herself, while also thinking of how she blind _she_ was to not see that Mordecai liked her so much.

Eileen walked up, "Hey, Margaret, what's so funny?"

The mole startled the robin, "Oh! Geez, Eileen, you scared me. I was just, um, thinking about old times."

Eileen looked over to the table then back to her friend, "Hmm. Do you miss being here?"

"Well, kinda. I mean, I loved working with you, but after a while, I felt I needed to move on to get an education and make some money." Margaret frowned, "You know how that's turned out..."

"Yeah. I'm sorry you've gotta go through this, Margaret. I'm here for you, though, so don't forget to stop by." she laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

The robin chuckled, "Thanks, Eileen, I won't."

"So, how's the park?"

"It's great! I love how I can be outside, where it's calm and surrounded by nature, not cramped in this shop with costumers yelling for their food, or stuck in a classroom stressed over schoolwork," she looked down to Eileen, "no offense..."

Eileen smiled, "None taken. This place can get pretty crazy at times."

"Yeah, I know that for a fact!" she laughed. "Well, how are you and Rigby getting along? Are you moved in completely?"

Eileen sat on a nearby stool, "Pretty much. Lots of boxes and junk cluttered everywhere, plus I have to get him motivated to help out sometimes, but we're good. I'm kinda glad he wanted to move in with me, as I think it shows that he cares about our relationship."

Margaret smiled, "Aw, that's sweet. It's nice to hear things are working out for you both. I-"

**_DING!_**

Eileen hopped off stool, "Oh! The food and coffee is ready." She went back and grabbed the coffee, setting the cups on top of the two boxes of donuts, "Here ya go, Margaret. Enjoy!"

"Thanks, Eileen. I'd stay and chat, but I'd better get back to the park, everyone's probably starving!" She walked up the steps then turned around and backed up out of the shop, "I'll see ya later, okay?"

* * *

Margaret headed back to the park, going inside the house. She saw Thomas and Rigby playing a game and walked up to them, "Hi guys. You want a donut or coffee?"

Rigby grinned, "Yeah, sure Margaret." He guzzled down the coffee and scarfed down the donut, but heard a noise on the TV. "Aw, what? I died?!"

"Yeah, man. You ran into a snail...again." Thomas pointed out, taking a sip of coffee.

Margaret chuckled, then went upstairs but was stopped by Pops, who'd poked his big head out of his room, "Oh my, do I smell donuts?"

Margaret smiled, "Yeah. You want one?"

Pops giggled, happily walking over to take a pastry, "I adore donuts! Thank you ever so much, Margaret."

"You're welcome, Pops."

In his office, Benson was staring out of his window at Skips' house. He felt terrible for his longtime friend having to face, to him, an obviously insane Mordecai in a fight like that. Even worse, he had no idea on Earth of how to save the avian from the evil controlling him and corrupting his mind. The only thing the manager could do was to try to maintain _some_ level of normalcy by having everyone continue their jobs, even with Mordecai's safety and well-being on their minds, as the park still needed to function to bring in a profit. On a good note, he was glad to have Margaret here, as she seemed optimistic and determined, even when the stakes were high, and was a good worker, so far, to boot.

The robin went up to his door. She knocked, "Hey Benson, I'm back. I got donuts and coffee like you asked me to."

He walked past his desk, paperwork strewn across it, unlocked the door, then took a cup, "Thanks, Margaret. Don't forget Skips, though. He probably needs some coffee more than the rest of us..."

"Oh. Yeah, you're right. I'll go see him now."

Margaret went down the steps, but stopped when some leaves fell in front of her. She looked up to see Muscle Man and Fives on the roof, "Hey guys, watch out with the leaves, please? Do either of you want a donut or coffee?"

Fives shook his head, "Sorry about that, Margaret! We'll get one later!"

The avian headed over to Skips' house, knocking on his door. She didn't get a response, so she knocked harder, "Skips? You in there?"

He finally cracked the door, "Yeah, what'd you need? I'm busy."

"Oh, well, I just brought over some coffee and donuts and I-"

The yeti cut her off, grabbing a few donuts and a cup then slammed the door.

Margaret was surprised and confused. She walked off in a huff, _'God, what's his problem? I figure he'd be happy to see me coming with food...'_

Inside, Skips hastily downed the drink and pastries, then went back to his task at hand. He sat down in the middle of his room, finishing his meditation. After clearing his mind, he started to stand up and head into the garage to fix the golf cart, but his foot slid against the hardwood floor, causing him to grab onto the end of his bed. He looked down to what he'd nearly slipped on, and was surprised at what was still there.

He skipped over to his phone, dialing the number as fast as he could, _'Pick up, pick up...'_

The man answered, "Hello?"

"Samson, it's me. I need your help."

"Skips? What'd you need?"

"Well, you're good with technology, right?"

"Yeah, I am a technomancer, after all. What's wrong, you sound frantic?"

The yeti took a deep breath, "I-I was attacked last night."

Techmo was shocked, "What?! By who?"

"An 'old friend' of mine named Damien. But, he was controlling Mordecai's body. He ran off, but some of his blood was left behind. I don't have the ability to track him, and I was wondering if you do?"

"Yeah, I do. I'll be over as soon as I can...I've gotta finish up some work first, though."

"Thanks, Samson. I knew I could count on you." Skips sighed in relief, hanging up the phone.

* * *

On the other side of the city, Mordecai was completely drained of energy. He'd taken short breaks, but had essentially been walking all night, for no apparent reason other than doing what Damien told him to do. With his legs aching, he continued to aimlessly wander along the pavement. Coming upon a row of houses, he stopped and leaned against a white picket fence, lowering his head while trying to catch his breath.

_**"Wait. Why not rest here, Mordecai?" Damien suggested in an unusually concerned tone, "Give your wounds a chance to heal?"**_

"What? Why are you so worried about me all of a sudden?" Mordecai suddenly snapped at the knight.

_**Damien remained calm, "There is no need for such hostility with me, my friend. Despite what you think, I don't feel joy from your suffering," he explained, "I simply do what needs to be done."**_

Mordecai sat down, propped against the fence. He glanced over at the sunrise along the rooftops, "What is that suppose to mean?"

_**"I'm here to assist you, that is all. But, obstacles block our progress. They keep us from our goals..." He paused, letting a vision of Margaret smiling at the blue jay seep in, "This is what you value most, correct? The robin?"**_

Mordecai sighed, he was starving, tired, and hurt.

The last thing he wanted to do was think of her.

He put his head in his hands, "I guess. I-I mean, I just want to go back to her, have things be normal again."

_**"That could be a possibility, but only if we keep working together. Can I trust you to help me, help you?"**_

The avian closed his eyes, smirking sarcastically, "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

_**The knight chuckled, "No, I suppose you do not..."**_


End file.
